Your Journey Doesn't End Here
by N7Brendan
Summary: Jaune Arc suffers a near death experience and receives guidance from someone he never thought he'd see again. One-shot. Arkos.


A flash of light, and suddenly Jaune's world exploded. His body let out a mighty thud as he was forcefully slammed against the side of a rock. His enemy slowly walked over to him and cupped her hands to his face.

"What a shame," she muttered softly, "I honestly expected more of a challenge."

Incredible tension suddenly enveloped Jaune's jaw as the woman grasped the young man and hoisted him above her, shortly before slamming his head on the ground with such force that Jaune's eyes immediately slammed shut and he awaited the cold embrace of the unknown.

 _No, you aren't supposed to be here yet._

Jaune's eyes flew open. He was no longer in the charred battlefield surrounded by rocks, bodies, and debris, but rather a large, white, spacious area that seemed to stretch into eternity.

 _Am I dreaming?_ The young knight pondered. Suddenly panic struck. _No... Am I dead?_

Then he remembered the voice. The voice that immediately brought comfort to his tortured soul, the voice that seemed all too familiar, the voice that reached out to him a short moment ago, telling him that he wasn't supposed to be here. Jaune slowly turned around, half expecting it to be his imagination, half hoping that he was correct in his assumption. As Jaune turned around, behind him stood someone he never thought he would see again.

"Pyrrha..." Jaune let out a quiet whisper of disbelief. The woman who had left him such a long time ago now stood before him, as beautiful as ever, just as he remembered her. As Jaune slowly stepped towards her, still in shock and disbelief, he could feel tears running down his face. He could tell that Pyrrha had tears in her eyes as well. He reached out a hand and touched her face and at that moment he knew that he wasn't dreaming. Pyrrha held his hand on her face, then leaned forward and rested her head on Jaune's chest. Jaune then broke down, his tears now streaming down his face at full force.

"I've missed you so much..." Jaune choked out the words in between sobs as the two of them stood together in a loving embrace.

"I've missed you too, Jaune," Pyrrha whispered softly, "but as I said, you aren't supposed to be here yet."

Pyrrha pulled away from their hug, although the pair were still standing close together.

"My journey ended back at Beacon, but your journey doesn't end here," Pyrrha said as she looked up at him. "You're destined to go back and finish the fight Jaune, not just for yourself, but for everyone."

"I don't know if I can do it-" Jaune started, before Pyrrha pulled him in and the two shared a passionate kiss similar to the first one they shared together back at Beacon. Jaune felt empty as she pulled away once again, he wanted to stay here with her forever.

"The Jaune Arc I know would never back away from a challenge," Pyrrha said as she held his face in her hands, "You once told me that you wanted to be the hero, and now is your chance. As much as I want you to stay here with me forever, you know that can't happen, not yet."

Jaune held her hand against his face, not wanting her to let go.

"I want to stay here with you."

"And you will one day, but not now. Your friends, _our_ friends, need your help back there. You think they can take down Cinder on their own?"

Jaune chuckled, "Well I mean, Ruby's whole thing where her eyes glow is pretty scary, I'm sure she could do it."

Pyrrha playfully punched him in the shoulder, "You know what I mean, silly. They need you down there."

"But-"

"No buts," Pyrrha held a finger to his mouth, "You need to go back down there and have enough adventures for the two of us."

Jaune looked away from her, out into the whiteness. He knew she was right, he couldn't stay here. He needed to finish the fight that he set out to finish the night she sacrificed herself. Pyrrha pulled his face back so that they were looking into each other's eyes again. Jaune was once again taken aback by how beautiful she was, and all of his feelings of regret flooded through him again, that he never truly told her how he felt, or that he never acted on his feelings sooner, or that he was pining after Weiss when Pyrrha was in front of him the whole time. He smiled sadly as he pulled her in close once again. He couldn't let his short time with her end like this.

"I love you." Jaune whispered to her.

Pyrrha closed her eyes and smiled while clutching him tightly. "Took you long enough. I love you too, more than you will ever know."

Jaune finally pulled away, but before he could say anything, Pyrrha interrupted him. There was pain and trepidation in her eyes now, as her composure faltered.

"I-It wasn't your fault what happened that night. It was my choice and... my destiny to go after her."

"I know..." Jaune mumbled as he looked down at their hands intertwined between them. Pyrrha did the same. Both of them wanting to remain together until the end of time, but they both knew that they would have to wait for each other.

"Well, I guess it's time then," Jaune said as he pulled Pyrrha in one last time, "I'll make you proud."

Pyrrha smiled up at him, tears welling in her eyes once more. "You've already done much more than that."

Jaune nodded as he pulled away. "As soon as I get back here, the first thing we're gonna do is dance."

"I'll hold you to that," Pyrrha giggled as she wiped the tears from her eyes, "Take care, my love. Finish what you started."

Jaune nodded and turned away from her.

 _I'm not gonna look back._

He broke into a sprint towards a door that was several feet away from the two of them.

 _We'll see each other again one day._

Tears now streaming down his face, he flung the door open and leaped into an empty black abyss, the sounds of the real world now flooding back to him.

 _This isn't goodbye. You're always with me._

Jaune's eyes flung open as he felt the familiar, comfortable feel of Crocea Mors' weight rise upwards. With renewed aura and vigor, he lunged towards Cinder. In that moment Jaune became proud. Proud of loving her, proud of every moment they shared together, and in the moment before he struck down his foe, he thought of only one thing.

 _I love you Pyrrha. I always will._

A voice in his head responded, providing Jaune with even more courage and strength than the young man ever thought he could muster.

 _And I, you. I'm so happy that I fell in love with you, Jaune Arc._


End file.
